Lyric analysis: Carrion?

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Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby Singing Bear » Wed Jan 29, 2014 12:42 pm

I'm often pretty overwhelmed by the beauty and power of the lyrics for 'Carrion' (and quite a few of the others aren't bad but I'm going for this one right now) but, I'll be honest and have to say some of it is a bit a mystery to this simple soul. Anyone fancy elucidating or would this sort of analysis detract from the poetry? Maybe it should just be left at sounding stupendous?
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby Wendelin of Trier » Wed Jan 29, 2014 1:20 pm

Singing Bear wrote:I'm often pretty overwhelmed by the beauty and power of the lyrics for 'Carrion' (and quite a few of the others aren't bad but I'm going for this one right now) but, I'll be honest and have to say some of it is a bit a mystery to this simple soul. Anyone fancy elucidating or would this sort of analysis detract from the poetry? Maybe it should just be left at sounding stupendous?


Brilliant, brilliant track. Everything about it is magical.

"Can stone and steel and horses heels ever explain the way you feel?" and "I felt the lapping of an ebbing tide"

Prettaaa, prettaaaa, prettaaa good.
It's like everything you never said but always meant to say
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby wishiwasskinny » Wed Jan 29, 2014 2:06 pm

S'about the sea, innit.
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby Wicker Man » Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:12 pm

Many years ago, Kevo offered this intriguing insight:

"Before the single was released, 'Carrion' was only the working title and the band held a competition asking for fans to nominate a suitable name for the song. As it had only been played live a few times, they had to describe it. If memory serves me right, they said it was about 'an old soldier sitting outside the De La Warr pavilion in Bexhill remembering his time during the war and contemplating his death' or something similar."
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby TheAlex » Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:47 pm

I've started attending a writing group recently and they have occasional sessions where folk can read out some of their favourite work of others and I was thinking of BSP. Carrion seems one of the most poetic and less lyrical of their best stuff - but how do I say "Rotherhithe"?
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby Wicker Man » Wed Jan 29, 2014 4:27 pm

TheAlex wrote:I've started attending a writing group recently and they have occasional sessions where folk can read out some of their favourite work of others and I was thinking of BSP. Carrion seems one of the most poetic and less lyrical of their best stuff - but how do I say "Rotherhithe"?

Just like Yan does in the song. But don't ever pronounce '2007' the way he does in 'Lights Out...' or I'll have to hunt you down and administer a Chinese burn.

Or, if you want to perform it in the original Cockernee, try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-ALU5JKWaA
Last edited by Wicker Man on Wed Jan 29, 2014 4:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby pomfob » Wed Jan 29, 2014 4:38 pm

You know what we need here? Some kind of lyrics parade. Has no one ever made a comprehensive attempt to decipher them?
Do it for the Butthole Surfers.
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby Wicker Man » Wed Jan 29, 2014 4:45 pm

pomfob wrote:You know what we need here? Some kind of lyrics parade. Has no one ever made a comprehensive attempt to decipher them?

Including the definitive "a porkchop, akocha" ending, please.
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby Singing Bear » Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:19 pm

pomfob wrote:You know what we need here? Some kind of lyrics parade. Has no one ever made a comprehensive attempt to decipher them?


Just what I was hoping might happen. Where do we start?
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby Singing Bear » Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:21 pm

Wicker Man wrote:Many years ago, Kevo offered this intriguing insight:

"Before the single was released, 'Carrion' was only the working title and the band held a competition asking for fans to nominate a suitable name for the song. As it had only been played live a few times, they had to describe it. If memory serves me right, they said it was about 'an old soldier sitting outside the De La Warr pavilion in Bexhill remembering his time during the war and contemplating his death' or something similar."


I'll take that. Thanks for the info. Next time I'm listening to the song I'll place that fellow in my head.
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby TheAlex » Wed Jan 29, 2014 9:02 pm

Wicker Man wrote:
TheAlex wrote:I've started attending a writing group recently and they have occasional sessions where folk can read out some of their favourite work of others and I was thinking of BSP. Carrion seems one of the most poetic and less lyrical of their best stuff - but how do I say "Rotherhithe"?

Just like Yan does in the song. But don't ever pronounce '2007' the way he does in 'Lights Out...' or I'll have to hunt you down and administer a Chinese burn.

Or, if you want to perform it in the original Cockernee, try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-ALU5JKWaA

Oh yeah, that would be an idea. I deserve a Chinese burn for being so dim. I won't pronounce "X-Factor" like he does in Bear either.

pomfob wrote:You know what we need here? Some kind of lyrics parade. Has no one ever made a comprehensive attempt to decipher them?

I remember one of the lyrics sites having a load of comments about the meaning of a couple of BSP songs. It wasn't what I'd call recommended reading - I'm sure we could do better here (me not included).
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby Singing Bear » Thu Jan 30, 2014 8:43 am

TheAlex wrote:I remember one of the lyrics sites having a load of comments about the meaning of a couple of BSP songs. It wasn't what I'd call recommended reading - I'm sure we could do better here (me not included).


Well, even if we just made stuff up it could well prove to be edifying.
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby pomfob » Thu Jan 30, 2014 9:48 am

pomfob wrote:You know what we need here? Some kind of lyrics parade. Has no one ever made a comprehensive attempt to decipher them?


Well. of course there is Brilliantine Mortality (http://www.brilliantinebsp.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk), but that seems to have ground to a halt around Open Season. Pity.
Do it for the Butthole Surfers.
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby kevo » Thu Jan 30, 2014 10:06 am

Wendelin of Trier wrote:"Can stone and steel and horses heels"


Loosely borrowed from TS Eliot's 'Triumphal March'. A recording of the first part used to be played immediately before the band came on stage:

Stone, bronze, stone, steel, stone, oak leaves, horses' heels
Over the paving. And the flags. And the trumpets.
And the flags. And the trumpets. And so many eagles.
How many? Count them. And such a press of people.
We hardly knew ourselves that day, or knew the City.
This is the way to the temple, and we so many crowding the way.
So many waiting, how many waiting? What did it matter, on such a day?
Are they coming? No, not yet. You can see some eagles.
And hear the trumpets.
Here they come...
Kevo or Matthew Wood? Malevolence or good?

BSP fansite: Brilliantine Mortality
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Re: Lyric analysis: Carrion?

Postby Wendelin of Trier » Thu Jan 30, 2014 11:36 am

kevo wrote:
Wendelin of Trier wrote:"Can stone and steel and horses heels"


Loosely borrowed from TS Eliot's 'Triumphal March'. A recording of the first part used to be played immediately before the band came on stage:

Stone, bronze, stone, steel, stone, oak leaves, horses' heels
Over the paving. And the flags. And the trumpets.
And the flags. And the trumpets. And so many eagles.
How many? Count them. And such a press of people.
We hardly knew ourselves that day, or knew the City.
This is the way to the temple, and we so many crowding the way.
So many waiting, how many waiting? What did it matter, on such a day?
Are they coming? No, not yet. You can see some eagles.
And hear the trumpets.
Here they come...


Cheers, wasn't aware of that at all.

This is the kind of thing though, the lyricism and atmosphere, that they should have stuck with and built upon. I find it quite sad now when I read this sort of stuff as its that very atmosphere and imagery that made me fall in love with the band. Its hard to listen to some of the more recent stuff, knowing that they were once so different, so "romantic". Its like they once stood for something, were into conveying something lost but important, but it now seems thats all gone and the thing that has replaced it seems somehow unfocused, and the soul seems to have dropped out of it. The recent stuff is just "music", whereas the first two albums were mystical fucking things i cant begin to explain.

For me, in terms of lyrics and imagery, nothing beats 'Something Wicked'.
It's like everything you never said but always meant to say
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